The decision was made last week in a response to the Victorian Government’s announcement that it would be shifting to a print management system to ‘rationalise and standardise’ its print procurement, estimated at being between $15-25m annually.

Printing Industries Victorian regional president, Ray Keen, said the government’s position of opening print tenders to US based suppliers represents a blow to local industry and could cost the Victorian economy millions of dollars as well as jobs.

“The government has tried to justify opening its tenders to US companies on the basis of Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with the US,” says Keen.

“China and Malaysian FTAs are currently under negotiation by the Federal Government and will likely be approved, so where does it all end? This is the beginning of the end for Victorian manufacturing and the Victorian economy. Thousands of jobs are at risk if this is allowed to happen.”

Keen says, the Victorian Government has raised fears of further print outsourcing to other countries, with which Australia has Free Trade Agreements.

“If this is the justification they are using, then it follows that the tenders will also be opened to companies in Thailand, Singapore and New Zealand because we have Free Trade Agreements with them all,” he says.

Representatives from Printing Industries Victorian Region, will meet with Department of Premier and Cabinet representatives on Thursday June 15, to argue the industry’s case against overseas outsourcing.

A government briefing of “interested parties” in relation to the print management tender will be held on Friday, June 16, from 2.30 pm at the Treasury Theatre, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. Attendees must register beforehand via e-mail: pmc.tender@dpc.vic.gov.au, giving their name, title and the company they represent.

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